Title

Author(s) Information

Department

Electrical Engineering Department

Degree Name

BS in Electrical Engineering

Date

6-2010

Advisor

Ali Shaban

Abstract/Summary

Many average households across the United States may not realize how much power is saved by simply removing the plug from the receptacle when not being used. A misconception with stand-by/portable chargers is; if a device is not connected to the charger, but the charger is still connected to the wall, then the charger will not consume power. That statement is false. The following report will demonstrate how much power is lost in an average household. When a reference is made to an average house, I will refer to a 4 bedroom single family home. The house will have an average of 2 bathrooms and a garage. I will also test the power quality of the home, where the current is distributed across several frequencies, not just the normal 60 Hz. The project will consist of a detailed analysis of stand-by home chargers that are left plugged in but are not connected to the device that is meant to charge. Stand-by chargers will include the following but are not limited to: Cell phone chargers, Cordless telephone chargers, MP3/ IPod chargers, laptop chargers, facial hair trimmers/ shavers, and Television sets that are remotely operated.

The study was conducted in the city of Santa Maria California, approximately 30 miles south of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. According to the city records department, there are 23,986 single family homes within city limits. This city consumes roughly 44232.58 Kilowatts hours per day.